Proverbs 26
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so, unbecoming to a dullard is honour.
Just [like] [SIM] [it is not appropriate for] snow [to fall] in summer time, or rain [to fall] at harvest time, it is not appropriate to praise/honor foolish people.
2 As a sparrow in wandering, as a swallow in flying, so, a causeless curse, shall not alight.
Like [SIM] birds that fly by [and do not alight/land on anything], if someone curses you, it cannot hurt you if you (do not deserve them/have not done to him what is wrong).
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of dullards.
It is necessary to whip a horse and to put a bridle on a donkey [to force them to go where we want them to go], and similarly [SIM] [it is often necessary to strike] foolish people with a stick [to cause them to do what is right].
4 Do not answer a dullard, according to his folly, lest, even thou thyself, become like him;
If a foolish person asks a foolish question, [do not answer him], because [if you answer his question], you are just as foolish as he is.
5 Answer a dullard according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
If you give a foolish answer to someone who asks a foolish question, he will realize that he is (not very wise/foolish).
6 One who cutteth off feet, one who drinketh down wrong, is he who sendeth a message by the hand of a dullard.
Anyone who asks a foolish person to take a message to someone [is himself doing something as foolish as] cutting off his own feet or drinking poison.
7 Useless are the legs of the lame, and a proverb, in the mouth of a dullard.
A lame man cannot use his legs, and similarly [SIM] [it is useless for] a foolish person to speak [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings).
8 Like tying a stone to a sling, so, is he that giveth honour, to a dullard.
Tying a stone in a sling [so that it cannot be thrown at a target] is [as foolish as] [SIM] honoring a foolish person.
9 A brier cometh into the hand of a drunken-man, a proverb into the mouth of dullards.
If a drunk person waves some thorns/brambles with his hand, [he is not able to accomplish anything useful by doing that] (OR, [he does not feel it when a thorn sticks in his hand]); similarly, if foolish people speak [MTY] proverbs, [they do not help anyone who hears them].
10 [As] an archer who woundeth every thing, [so] one who hireth a dullard, and a drunkard crossing the sea.
A man who shoots arrows [to try] to wound everybody who is near [is foolish]; similarly, anyone who hires a foolish person [who passes by is very foolish].
11 As, a dog, returneth onto his own vomit, a dullard, repeateth his folly.
A foolish person will foolishly do something stupid a second time; it is [like] [SIM] a dog returning to [eat] what it has vomited.
12 Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eye, —more hope of a dullard, than of him!
[God] can help/bless foolish people more easily than he can help/bless people who are not wise [RHQ], but think that they are wise.
13 Saith the sluggard, A roaring lion in the road! A tearing lion in the midst of the broadways.
Lazy people [just stay inside their houses and do nothing]; [they keep] saying “[I think] there is a lion in the street!”
14 The door, turneth on its hinges, and, the sluggard, upon his bed.
A door [continually] swings back and forth on its hinges [and does not go anywhere]; similarly [SIM], lazy people [just continually turn over] in their beds [and never do anything].
15 The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
Some people are extremely lazy; they put their hand in a dish [to get some food] but do not [even] lift the food up to their mouths.
16 Wiser is the sluggard in his own eyes, than, seven persons, who can answer with judgment.
Lazy people think that they are wiser than seven/several people who can answer [others’ questions] with good sense.
17 As he who layeth hold of the ears of a dog, is a passer-by, who giveth vent to his wrath over a quarrel, not his!
Anyone who (meddles/involves himself) in a quarrel that does not concern him is [as foolish as] [SIM] someone who tries to grab a passing dog by its ears.
18 As a madman throwing firebrands, arrows and death,
Crazy people who shoot burning arrows to kill people
19 So, is a man who deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Was not, I, in sport?
are as foolish as those who deceive someone else and [then] say, “I was only joking.”
20 Without wood a fire is quenched, and, where there is no tattler, strife is hushed.
If there is no [more] firewood [to put on the fire], the fire will go out; similarly [SIM], if there are no people who (gossip/tell people things that are not true), quarreling will end.
21 Black coal to burning blocks, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man, for kindling strife.
[Putting] charcoal on burning coals or [putting] wood on a fire [causes the fire to keep burning]; similarly, people who like to quarrel cause people to keep arguing.
22 the words of a tattler, are dainties, they, therefore go down into the chambers of the inner man.
People [enjoy listening to what gossips say about others just like] [SIM] they enjoy tasty food; they [enjoy listening to what gossips tell them like] they enjoy swallowing tasty food.
23 Dross silver overlaid upon earthenware, so are burning lips, with a mischievous heart:
People who say nice things when they are thinking about doing evil things are like a nice glaze/covering on a [cheap] clay pot.
24 With his lips, the hater dissembleth, but, within himself, he layeth up deceit:
Those who hate someone and are saying [MTY] something very different from what they are thinking are hypocrites; they are only planning [to harm that person].
25 Though he make gracious his voice, do not trust him, for, seven abominations, are in his heart:
When they say nice things, do not believe them, because in their inner beings are many things that [Yahweh] hates.
26 Hatred may clothe itself with guile, his wickedness shall be disclosed in the convocation.
They try to deceive people to cause them to think that they do not hate [that person], but in a public meeting, the people will find out the evil things [that they have done].
27 He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, shall fall, and, he that rolleth a stone, upon himself, shall it return.
Those who dig a deep pit [for other people to fall into] will fall into it themselves; rocks will roll down on those who start to cause rocks to roll down [to crush someone].
28 A false tongue, hateth them who are crushed by it, and, a flattering mouth, worketh occasion of stumbling.
Those [MTY] who tell lies to others [really] hate them, and those who deceive [others] ruin them.
